DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36838#0351
280 COUNT BALDASSARE CASTIGLIONE
representation of the story of Lazarus in St. Peter's,
which took place one Sunday in March, and was
witnessed by over 12,000 persons. But the Pope, as
one of the Venetians remarked, was never present at
any long services. Castiglione found many of his
old friends in Rome, and together with Bembo and
Giuliano enjoyed the company of Sadoleto, Beroaldo,
Bibbiena, Cristoforo, and the leading Cardinals.
There was another friend from Urbino who welcomed
his presence gladly. This was the painter Raphael,
now in high favour with His Holiness, and engaged
in decorating the Vatican Vrn/vc with his great
frescoes. The Duchess and her nephew, who had
been on friendly terms with the artist from his
boyhood, naturally looked with especial interest on
tiie works of the young master from Urbino ; while
according to an old tradition, repeated by an English
traveller who visdted Rome in the sixteenth century,
Castiglione's advice was of great use to Raphael in
designing his noble fresco of the School of Philosophy.
The best proof we have of Castiglione's interest in
the work is the introduction of his own portrait into
the group on the left, close to Raphael himself. Here
Baldassare appears in the character of Zoroaster, and
stands looking towards the painter ; while another
native of Urbino, the architect Bramante, figures as
Euclid in the foreground, and the young Duke appears
in a corner of the composition. The portraits of both
Castiglione and Francesco Maria must have been
painted during this visit to Rome, while that of
Leonora's brother, the curly-headed boy Federico,
was added when he came to the Vatican as hostage
for his father a few months later. When the Easter
festival was over, the Duke and Duchesses took leave
of His Holiness and their friends in the Sacred
representation of the story of Lazarus in St. Peter's,
which took place one Sunday in March, and was
witnessed by over 12,000 persons. But the Pope, as
one of the Venetians remarked, was never present at
any long services. Castiglione found many of his
old friends in Rome, and together with Bembo and
Giuliano enjoyed the company of Sadoleto, Beroaldo,
Bibbiena, Cristoforo, and the leading Cardinals.
There was another friend from Urbino who welcomed
his presence gladly. This was the painter Raphael,
now in high favour with His Holiness, and engaged
in decorating the Vatican Vrn/vc with his great
frescoes. The Duchess and her nephew, who had
been on friendly terms with the artist from his
boyhood, naturally looked with especial interest on
tiie works of the young master from Urbino ; while
according to an old tradition, repeated by an English
traveller who visdted Rome in the sixteenth century,
Castiglione's advice was of great use to Raphael in
designing his noble fresco of the School of Philosophy.
The best proof we have of Castiglione's interest in
the work is the introduction of his own portrait into
the group on the left, close to Raphael himself. Here
Baldassare appears in the character of Zoroaster, and
stands looking towards the painter ; while another
native of Urbino, the architect Bramante, figures as
Euclid in the foreground, and the young Duke appears
in a corner of the composition. The portraits of both
Castiglione and Francesco Maria must have been
painted during this visit to Rome, while that of
Leonora's brother, the curly-headed boy Federico,
was added when he came to the Vatican as hostage
for his father a few months later. When the Easter
festival was over, the Duke and Duchesses took leave
of His Holiness and their friends in the Sacred